The Heart of the Matter

Synopsis

“The Heart of the Matter” is a film that uses personal stories to shine the light of hope into the darkness of pornography in the Christian church.

Dove Review

This is a documentary that offers hope for those struggling with pornography, and for the spouses who have to deal with the hurt. The film looks seriously at the inundation of pornography in the malls, on the computer, TV, and billboards. One man says he believes a pornography addiction is harder to break than a drug addiction. One man says that he swore at church and mentioned he was addicted to pornography, and that swearing went over better. The documentary features experts and victims of pornography as they open up and share their insights.

Daniel Weiss, president of the Brushfires Foundation, speaks about people being there to help those who struggle, and one woman in the film says that telling someone else about the struggle is essential. People open up about talking to God and the shame and guilt they sometimes dealt with. The documentary does a thorough job looking at all sides of the topic, including the following sections: First Exposure, Getting Trapped, Escalation, Affecting Relationships, Isolation, Relapsing, Hitting Bottom, Consequences, Reconnecting, and Embraced In His Love. Ultimately a day-at-a-time lifestyle, trusting in God’s grace and forgiveness, and being accountable to loved ones are the recommended prescriptions. Other experts, including Pastor Bernie Anderson and LaNae Valentine, Ph.D, discuss various issues including a woman’s point of view and how women must deal with their own pain and self esteem. A young man, a woman, couples, middle-aged men and an older gentleman all speak candidly in this DVD.

There is nothing graphic in the film that prevents us from awarding our Family Approved Seal for ages twelve plus to the film. There are some comments about masturbation, all in the context of struggling with pornography. Parents should consult our content listing to make an informed decision. This documentary makes it clear that people who struggle with pornography have hope and, indeed, many of them are shining examples of changed lives.

Content Description

Sex: A few men admit masturbating while watching porn; a few women talk about struggling with porn and one mentions acting out various things in a video; comment that some women who struggle with pornography might wonder if they are lesbian; a comment about sex chats in chat rooms; it's mentioned a man visited prostitutes until he was arrested and finally began to seek help.

Language: H-2.

Violence: None

Drugs: A few comments that people who struggled with chemical or drug addiction have found pornography to be more difficult to beat; comment that some turn to alcohol or drugs and some turn to pornography; one person describes pornography as a "drug of choice."

Nudity: None

Other: Spouses share the pain they endured in learning their partners struggled with pornography; one couple endured a divorce.

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